Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024
Vol. 6, No. 4
PCMExplorer Local People. Local Stories.
Welcome to Mustang Country
Get to know the new PCM teachers
Jamee A. Pierson/PCM Explorer Several new teachers have started across the PCM School District for the 2024-2025 school year. Teaching a variety of subjects, the new staff are excited to get started with the students.
By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer Name: Liliana McGohan Position at PCM: Middle School (58) Band Director Education: Luther College 2024 Work History: This is my first fulltime job! What attracted you to PCM to teach? I appreciate the strong sense of community that comes from a smaller district. I actually enjoyed the interview process because of the people I met and the support they were already giving me. What is your favorite teaching method, how do you like to interact with the kids? My favorite way to interact with students is through individual/small group lessons where I can model, play with students and guide them to reach personal goals outside of band rehearsals. What is a valuable lesson you have learned about teaching? Establishing trust and open commu-
nication is vital for a student’s education. They are more engaged and motivated when they feel understood and respected. What are you most excited for this school year? Getting to know my first students and discovering more about myself as a teacher. Name: Ashley Van Wyngarden Position at PCM: Middle School Science Teacher Education: Bachelors in Health Sciences from Mercy College and Certification in teaching at Buena Vista University Work History: I spent three years at Ankeny High School teaching Biology and Anatomy & Physiology and two years at Southeast Polk High School teaching Chemistry. What attracted you to PCM to teach? The small town community is what attracted me to PCM. Being in a smaller district allows me to truly get to know both my students and their families. PCM also has the benefit of smaller class sizes which will allow me to
have better opportunities to work with students and help them learn essential life skills while also having fun learning about science! What is your favorite teaching method, how do you like to interact with the kids? My favorite part about teaching is the relationships I get to build with my students. I find that when I can build their trust they are more likely to be interested in the content and enjoy being at school. As far as my favorite teaching method, it’s having students learn through experimenting! Those are the things kids remember years down the road! What is a valuable lesson you have learned about teaching? It isn’t always the content that students will remember and that’s okay. If they can learn how to work well with others, problem-solve, and become leaders, they are going to do great things regardless! What are you most excited for this school year? Meeting my students and creating a comfortable and safe space
Federal funding used for road stabilization around NSNWR Jasper County secures more than $2.27M for first phase of accessibility project By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer Jasper County applied for a Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) grant two years ago to stabilize roads next to the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, and this past week the board of supervisors formally approved the funding agreement awarding more than $1.87 million to go towards the project. The county was also awarded $400,000 in additional funding from the Federal Lands Transportation Program; altogether, more than $2.27 million would be devoted to the first phase of this multi-phase project. Jasper County Engineer Michael Frietsch said the project is to improve accessibility to Neal Smith. Specifically, the first phase of the project would pave West 129th Street South from Iowa Highway 163 to South 96th Avenue West, and then South 96th Avenue West from West 129th Street South and all the way through. Frietsch said the roads would be stabilized with cement and two layers of otta seal. “So that’s the first phase is that ‘L’ and making that loop from (Highway) 163 over to
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in my classroom for them! Name: Rachel Davis Position at PCM: High School English Teacher Education: Wartburg College, Indiana University Work history: Clarksville Community School District - Junior High English Teacher (2 years), South Tama County High School - HIgh School English Teacher (11 years) What attracted you to PCM to teach? I was drawn to the supportive small town environment, the high standards set for students, and the various opportunities students receive to explore educational interests, possibilities for their futures, and a variety of extracurriculars. What is your favorite teaching method, how do you like to interact with the kids? I use a lot of project-based learning in my classroom. I’ve discovered that giving students opportunities to use creativity, work with peers
Supervisors appoint Katherine Thompson to VA commission Officials move forward with commissioners’ recommendation to fill vacant seat By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer
Christopher Braunschweig/PCM Explorer Jasper County will be using more than $2.27 million in federal funds to stabilize roads leading to the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge.
Pacific (Street),” Frietsch said of the road that leads directly to the refuge from South 96th Avenue West. “…We’ll also be going in there because we have several box culverts that have end sections that are broken in there, erosion issues.” Embankment slopes are too steep in some areas as well. The county engineer said crews will flatten those out along that corridor. The second phase of the project — from South 102nd Avenue West to the maintenance road, and West 129th Street South to South 102nd
Avenue West — will come later. “Then we got a bridge over Walnut Creek on South 88th Avenue West that we’re going to replace,” Frietsch said. “At this point right now I think the funding is going to cover phase one. And I’ve already told them once we get done with phase one we’re going to have to have a discussion.” Subsequent phases are anticipated to be more expensive. Frietsch noted when the county received the grant a few years ago REFUGE | 3
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Following through with the Jasper County Veterans Affairs Commission’s top recommendation for its new member, the board of supervisors on Sept. 3 voted 3-0 to appoint Katherine Thompson to the vacant seat. The decision comes one week after supervisors wanted extra time to vet the candidates themselves. Supervisor Brandon Talsma said he reached out to the top three applicants: Thompson, William Cobbs and James Pfleger. After speaking with them all individually, Talsma said he would be OK with appointing Thompson to the veterans affairs commission. Thompson was every member’s top choice. Newton News previously reported the veterans affairs commission had been searching for months to find someone to fill a seat left vacant after the death of
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commissioner Sue Springer in June. Commissioners received a total of seven applications, and from those forms narrowed down their search. When commissioners Jerry Nelson and Marta Ford presented the applications to the board of supervisors, they included all seven for their review. However, the veterans affairs commissioners were in agreement that Thompson in particular was the best candidate for the job, and they recommended she be appointed. Applications were posted on the Jasper County website. In addition to providing their contact information, they must indicate if they are a veteran and explain why they are interested in serving the commission, what contributions they can make to the commission and how much time they can devote to the position. The veterans affairs commissioners are now as follows: Fred Chabot, Marta Ford, Jerry Nelson, Ed Spangenburg and Katherine Thompson. The commission oversees the veterans affairs administrator and the shared benefits coordinator positions. The commission meets every second Wednesday of the month.
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